Ben Kure, once a key political aide to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly lamented his past support, claiming that the ex-governor’s tenure deepened divisions within the state.
Kure, who played a key role in establishing the All Progressives Congress (APC) machinery in Kaduna, recalled his early efforts alongside retired Colonel Abdullah, Senator M.B. Saleh, and former House of Representatives member, Shehu Balarabe. He detailed how they laid the groundwork that paved the way for El-Rufai’s rise.
Kure said that when El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State stepped onto Kaduna’s political stage, he lacked a solid foundation or network. He added that it was the dedication of loyal party members that secured his governorship ticket.
I have never regretted a political action as deeply as supporting Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. When Mallam Nasir El-Rufai came, he was a greenhorn in Kaduna politics, no base, no structure. He used religion, tribes, and sentiments to knock heads and get his way. We endured much with the belief that the state’s destiny would be redeemed. I trust that soon, we will welcome a leader to heal the divisions and correct the harm caused.
Despite Kure’s contributions as Director General for his campaigns in 2015 and again in 2019, he now views his backing as a serious misstep. He described the former governor’s approach as one mired in exclusionary politics, accusing him of manipulating religious and ethnic sentiments to maintain control. He added that he once believed El-Rufai was a nationalist, but the reality was far from that and that El-Rufai’s administration thrived on division and the politics of ‘divide and rule’.
Kure stressed that the fault lines El-Rufai exploited were not subtle; he wielded religion, tribal affiliations, and emotions as tools. Kure, when he was asked if he recognized these tendencies during his time in office, admitted that party loyalty caused him to stay the course despite his misgivings.
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